The trace determination of elements having strong emission lines in the sub-200 nanometer wavelength range, by atomic emission spectrometry, poses unique problems because of oxygen absorption phenomena encountered in this region. Ideally, it would be desirable to rid the system of all oxygen in order to achieve optimum levels of sensitivity. Prior work in this area, however, has only minimized rather than satisfactorily solved the problem. Thus, optimum sensitivity levels generally have not been heretofore reliably approached.
In addition, environmental altering of the atmosphere through which the emitted light travels to the detector, unless it produces steady state and repeatable conditions, achieves little in the way of benefit since reproducible data would not be reliably generated. In this vein, even minute variable levels of oxygen in the system can detrimentally influence the data collected. Unless such levels are thus controlled in a simple and expedient manner, i.e., to produce highly steady state conditions repeatable from experiment to experiment, trace analysis may not be feasible, or if feasible, usable only by the most skilled practitioners having utmost familiarity with the quirks of any such given system. Obviously, the latter systems are not quantifiable and thus not in a satisfactory condition for broad implementation.